Capsule-placing device.



J. P. REMINGTON.

CAPSULE PLACING DEVICE, APPLICATION rum) rum, 190a.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

a sums-sum 1.

WITNE jflu J. P. REMINGTON, CAPSULE PLACING 'DBVIGB, APPLICATION IILBD FEB. 7. 1908;

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

a sann'rs-snmz'r 2.

FIG 12 v iiiiiiififii INVENTORI WITN SSESI J. P. REMINGTON. GAPSULE PLACING DEVICE, APPLICATION 211.121) .IEB. 7, 1908.

Patented Sept. 29. 1908.

3 SHEETS- SHEET 3.

WITNESSESI MTE JOSEPH PERCY REMINGTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOREMINGTON' STATES PATENT Enron.

. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INO., OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

-No.rse9,7oo.

Specification. Letters Patent.

CAPSULE-PLACING DEVICE.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application filed February 7, 1908. Serial No. 414,705.

' whereof the following is a specification, ll'efer- 1e accompanying c raw-- ones being had to t lngs.

My invention relates to a device for placing capsules in juxtaposition and with the proper end'clown. It may conveniently be used in conjunction with a capsule filling device which forms the subject matter of a separate ap lication filed simultaneously herewith, alt 1ough its use is not limited to such a filling device.

Gelatin capsules as ordinarily used in medicine consist of a cup and a cap which overlaps and closes the cup, and it is the object of my invention to provide a device b means of which all the capsules shall be placed with the same end down, in this instance, the cap end.

My invention consists in means for receiving a number of capsules, and adjusting their length and means for causing said capsules to assume a particular position.

In the accompanying drawings, Fi ure I, is an elevation of the capsule funnel wlththe receiving tray in position thereon. Fig. II, is a plan view of the receiving trayl, Fig. III,

is a central longitudinal section of the combination shown in Fig. I, with the false bottom of the tray removed. Fig. IV, is a plan view of the funnel, the tray having been removed. Fig. V, is a plan .view of a modified form of receiving tray {having means for adjusting the. length of the capsules. Fig, VI, is a longitudinal vertical section through the tra with the a justing lid in partia'lly closed pos1- tion.

In said drawings, the body of the funnel 1, is formed with a plurality of rows of compartments or chutes 2, formed by longitudiual partitions 3. The longitudinal partitions 3, are straight and 's aced a art a distance approximately e ua to the argest diameter of a capsule, w ereas the transverse partitions 4, are curved, being spaced apart at their up er edges a distance ap roxinately equal to the length of a close cap- H.116, and attheir lower edges a distance aproximately e ual to the largest diameter of L capsule. T us the compartments ,2, are

oblong at the upper end, and nearly square at. the lower em. Extendingtransversely across the funnel body, shaped strip about on a ine with the up or edge of said funnel body, and dividing t e upper end of each compartment 2,into two equal parts.

are a series of wedge To thebottom end of the funnel body a plate 6, is secured, which is provided with a series of circular apertures 7, adaptedto receive the cap end of a capsule and each located concentrically, with the lower end of a compartment 2. These apertures 7, are so spaced as to register wlth the a ertures in t e cap. table on the capsule filing device above referred to, but they obviously maybe spaced in any other desired manner. conveniently shown a placing device havin ten rows of ten compartments each, but any other suitable lay-out may be employed.

Fitted to the u per end of the funnel body 1, is the removab e tray 10, which is divided s 5, having their'upper edges I have into compartments 11, of the same size, and

location, as the upper end of the compartments 2. Said tray has a removable sliding bottom 12, having outwardly flaring sides and ends 14. At each end of the tray 10, a bracket 15, is secured having two horizontal shelves 16, each provided with a depending dowel pin 17, which is adapted to re ister with a hole 18, formed in the hori'zonta legs 19, of the brackets 20 which are fastened to the ends of the funnel body 1. The tray therefore comprises a number of shallow oblong compartments, each of a size to receive a closed capsule when lying horizontally. upon the bottom of the tray as shown in dotted lines in Fi III.

In practice it is found that-the capsu es before being filled are not uniform in length and I have therefore foundit desirable to rovide means for adjusting the lengths of tie capsules so that they may be uniform. This means comprises a modified form of tray havin a lid 22, hinged at 24, 24, and normally heId in its open position as shown in Fig. V, by means of the spring 25. Upon the under side of the lid 22, there are a plurality of rows of wedge-shaped projections 26, having their apexes in line with the transverse partitions 27, which are about half as high as the longitudinal partitions 28. Said projections may be formed by cutting a'series of pairs of short parallel slits through the lid and then bending the metal between each pair into the form lengt it will be sufiicientto merely fill the com art- I pose W1 Q 7 seavee -form shown. Obviously other ways of producing projections answeringl the same purl readily suggest t emselves. By reference toFig. VI, it will readily be seen that by forcing the lid downwardly, the projections 26', enter between the -ends of contiguous capsules and force them to assume a horizontal position and push-the cap and cup ortions together to form capsules of a umorm length. For, convenient y handling the tray a handle 30, is rovided.

The operation of t e device is as follows If the capsules are not uniform in length the adjusting device shown in Figs. V and VI, may be em loyed to adjust them ali to a uni- If the capsules are all uniform ments of the tray with capsules lying orizontally therein upon-"the bottom. Any desired number ofcompartments may be thus filled. The. tray is then laced in position upon the upper end of the ihnnel body 1, and the bottom 12, withdrawn from the tray. The capsules thereu on come in contact with the centrally locate wedges 'or knife edges 5, and are tiltedwi-th their cap ends down owing to the fact that the cap ends areheavier than the cup ends. The capsules then drop through their respective compartments or chutes 2, and into the a ertures 7 at the bottom of said chutes, al with their cap ends lowermost as indicated at the bottom of Fig. III. If the device.were used in connection with the filling device above refereed to, suitable means would be the capsules thus positioned.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a'capsule placing device the combination with means for receiving a lurality of capsules; of means for causmg a l of said capsules to assume a predetermined position with respect to a given end when discharged from said receiving means.

2. In a capsule placing device the combination with means'for receiving a plurality of ca sules;-of means whereby the suerior weig t of. the ca end of the capsules is utilized to cause al the capsules to assumea predetermined position when dis- .charged.

3. In a capsule placing device, the combination of a tray having a plurality of com partments and a removable bottom; a funnel having a corresponding number ofpompartments or chutes adapted to register with the com' artment-s of the tray; and means located be ow the bottom' of said tray for causmg capsules comingin contact therewith to assume a predetermined position.

4. In a capsule placing device, the c o1n-' bination of a tray aving a plurality of ob- 'ong compartments a removable bottom for an trav; a funnelbody having a correprovided for securingspending number of compartments or chutes having their upper ends corresponding in size and location to the compartments in said tray, said chutes narrowing to a substantially square cross section at their lower ends; and means extending across said chutes for causing capsules coming in contact therewith to assume a predetermined position insaid funnel body.

5. In a capsule placing device, the combination of a tray raving a plurality of oblong compartments; a removable bottom for said tray; a funnel body having a corresponding number of compartments or chutes having their upper ends corresponding in size and-location to the compartments in said tray, said chutes narrowing to a sub-.

stantially square cross section at their lower endsfmeans extending across said chutesfor causing capsules coming in contact therewith to assume a predetermined position in said funnel body; and a plate on the bottom of said funnel body having apertures concentric with the lower ends of said chutes and adapted'toreceiv-e the cap end of a, capsule.

6. In a capsule placing device, the coinbination of a tray having a plurality of rows of oblong compartments; a removable bottom for said tray; a funnel body having a plurality of rows of compartments or chutes adapted to register with the compartments in said tray and having their upper ends of the same size as said tray compartments; andmeans extending across the middle of each chute below the tray bottom for directing the capsules so that they will fall with their cap ends lowermost.

7. In a ca sule placing device, the combination wit means for receiving a plurality of capsules; of means for adjusting the lengths of said capsules; and means for causing said capsules to assume a predetermined position w en discharged from said receiv- 1ng means.

8. In a capsule placing device, the combination of a tray having a plurality of compartments for receiving capsules; a bottom for said tray; and a lid rovided with a series of projections adapte to engage said capsules to adjust thelr length.

9,. In a ca suleplacing device, the combination witii means for receiving a plurality of capsules; ofmeansbclow saldreeciving means for co-acting with said capsules, whereby the superior weight of the cap end of said capsules causesthcm all to assume a predetermined position when discharged.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this fifth day of February 1908.

JOSEPH PERCY REMINGTON.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

